Public invited to help paint a mural at the Black Child and Family Institute

Capturingthe history of a neighborhood in art is no easy feat, but Lansing’s Geneseeneighborhood is trying: Members of the Genesee neighborhood (on Lansing’swest side) will be painting a mural on the east wall of Black Child and FamilyInstitute at 835 W. Genesee.

Thepublic is invited to help out from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Sept. 25 and 26 and from 3 to5 p.m. Sept. 27 and 28.

Thelower portion of the wall already features a collection of silhouettes designedby Erika Magers that was painted by participants in the BCFI Fine Arts Camp this past summer.The colorful silhouettes sparked a discussion within the neighborhood about augmenting the artwork.

Theoriginal design by Brian Whitfield and Joy Baldwin was created after a meetingwith Genesee residents about what they wanted to see on the mural. The focus ofthe design is to celebrate the history of the neighborhood, and celebrate itsprogression from forest to farmland and then eventually to commercial use.

Thewall has been primed and the design has been traced on the wall. A group of sixartists is spearheading the task of painting of the mural, but they are stilllooking for more help from the surrounding community.

“Wereally want more people in the community to come out and help,” said JessicaYorko, one of the mural’s organizers. “It’s a chance for them to make theirmark.”